The Evening Wrap: Evacuations halted in Ukraine area where ceasefire pledged

As Russia’s war on Ukraine entered Day 10, what had looked like a breakthrough ceasefire to evacuate civilians from two cities quickly fell apart. Ukrainian officials said shelling had halted the work to remove civilians just hours after Russia announced the deal. Ukraine’s President would brief U.S. Senators later on Saturday on a video conference call, a day after calling out NATO for refusing to impose a no-fly zone over his country. The briefing comes as Russian forces continued to batter strategic locations with missiles and artillery. Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile took aim at such a proposal, saying that Moscow would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as “participation in the armed conflict.” The ceasefire announced by the Russian Defence Ministry on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces for Mariupol, a strategic port in the southeast, and the eastern city of Volnovakha, was supposed to start “from 10 a.m. Moscow time”. It was unclear as to how long the routes would remain open. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office later said the Russians were not holding to the ceasefire and continued firing on Mariupol and surrounding areas. Russia breached the deal in Volnovakha as well, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters. Russian outlet RIA Novosti carried a Russian Defense Ministry claim that the firing came from inside both communities against Russian positions. Ukraine crisis | Our approach has been appreciated by Opposition as well, says Rajnath Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India had consistently called for talks and diplomatic efforts at resolving the Russia-Ukraine war, and that India did not see the India-Russia relationship only in the context of this crisis. Speaking exclusively to The Hindu, he stated, “our diplomatic approach has been of maintaining good relationships with all countries and that is the context in which India operates. We don’t see the India-Russia relationship only in the context of this crisis between Russia and Ukraine. We have always maintained, very consistently, that talks and diplomacy should be deployed to establish peace.” “Whatever was needed to be done at the diplomatic level, that was appropriate, was done by the Government of India. We have maintained that diplomacy and talks should be employed to bring about peace and an end to the violence. We have in fact repeatedly said that. In fact, our approach has been appreciated by the Opposition parties of the country as well,” he observed on India’s repeated abstentions at various international fora on resolutions against Russia for its attack on Ukraine. Read the full interview here. PM Modi interacts with prominent personalities in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with prominent personalities in Varanasi on Saturday and said if the BJP returns to power in Uttar Pradesh, the State will be at the forefront of economic development. Mr. Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, also stressed the need for a stable government in the State which can take bold decisions, according to the participants. Nearly 200 participants interacted with the Prime Minister at the ‘ Prabudh Varg Sammelan‘ held at Raman Niwas in Varanasi. Padma Bhushan awardee and Hindustani classical singer Channulal Mishra and BHU Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Jain were among the attendees. Famous paan seller Ashwani Chaurasia, known as ‘Keshav paan wala’ and tea seller Pappu, at whose kiosk Mr. Modi enjoyed a cuppa on Friday, were also present. Will form Government in 4 States, improve performance in Punjab: Amit Shah The BJP on Saturday exuded confidence over its chances in the five Assembly elections, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying the party would form the government in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand and improve its performance in Punjab. BJP president J.P. Nadda and Mr. Shah addressed a press conference at the party headquarters on Saturday evening, at the close of campaigning for the last phase of the U.P. polls on March 7. The leaders cited the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the impact of welfare schemes as reasons for their assessment. In response to a question, Mr. Shah said there was a “positive impact” on the elections of the government’s efforts to bring back Indian students from Ukraine. Mr. Modi had made arrangements, an advisory was issued on February 15 and Russian-speaking teams were sent to the neighbouring countries. Indians numbering 16,000 had left Ukraine till Friday and 13,000 of them reached India. Another 16 flights would reach India within 24 hours, he noted. “There has been a positive impact in the elections and in the country. And when Modi ji met the students, they thanked him and expressed happiness and also gave him good wishes to win the elections,” he stated. China hikes military spending by 7.1%, announces 5.5% GDP target China on Saturday announced a 7.1% hike in its defence spending as well as an annual GDP growth target of “around 5.5%” for the coming year. China’s Premier and second-ranked leader Li Keqiang announced the GDP target at the opening of the week-long session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) or Parliament, which approves policies for the coming year. A draft budget, which the NPC will approve, said defence spending would be hiked by 7.1% to 1.45 trillion Yuan or around $ 230 billion. The military budget was hiked by 6.8% last year when it crossed the $200 billion mark for the first time. India’s military spending this year was announced as around $70 billion, a 4.4% hike from the previous year, although a greater share of India’s defence spending goes towards imports and pensions. The Communist Party-run Global Times said the hike this year reflected “security threats China is facing.” Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 4,29,57,608 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 5,14,931. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 05 MARCH 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Evacuations halted in Ukraine area where ceasefire pledged  As Russia’s war on Ukraine entered Day 10, what had looked like a breakthrough ceasefire to evacuate civilians from two cities quickly fell apart. [Ukrainian officials said shelling had halted the work to remove civilians]( just hours after [Russia announced the deal](. Ukraine’s President would brief U.S. Senators later on Saturday on a video conference call, a day after calling out NATO for refusing to impose a no-fly zone over his country. The briefing comes as Russian forces continued to batter strategic locations with missiles and artillery. Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile took aim at such a proposal, saying that Moscow would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as “participation in the armed conflict.” [Fire is seen in Mariupol at a residential area after shelling amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on March 3, 2022, in this image obtained from social media. Photo: Twitter/@AyBurlachenko via Reuters] The ceasefire announced by the Russian Defence Ministry on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces for Mariupol, a strategic port in the southeast, and the eastern city of Volnovakha, was supposed to start “from 10 a.m. Moscow time”. It was unclear as to how long the routes would remain open. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office later said the Russians were not holding to the ceasefire and continued firing on Mariupol and surrounding areas. Russia breached the deal in Volnovakha as well, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters. Russian outlet RIA Novosti carried a Russian Defense Ministry claim that the firing came from inside both communities against Russian positions. Ukraine crisis | Our approach has been appreciated by Opposition as well, says Rajnath Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India had consistently called for talks and diplomatic efforts at resolving the Russia-Ukraine war, and that India did not see the India-Russia relationship only in the context of this crisis. Speaking exclusively to The Hindu, he stated, “our diplomatic approach has been of maintaining good relationships with all countries and that is the context in which India operates. We don’t see the India-Russia relationship only in the context of this crisis between Russia and Ukraine. We have always maintained, very consistently, that talks and diplomacy should be deployed to establish peace.” “Whatever was needed to be done at the diplomatic level, that was appropriate, was done by the Government of India. We have maintained that diplomacy and talks should be employed to bring about peace and an end to the violence. We have in fact repeatedly said that. In fact, our approach has been appreciated by the Opposition parties of the country as well,” he observed on India’s repeated abstentions at various international fora on resolutions against Russia for its attack on Ukraine. Read the full interview [here](. PM Modi interacts with prominent personalities in Varanasi   Prime Minister Narendra Modi [interacted with prominent personalities in Varanasi]( on Saturday and said if the BJP returns to power in Uttar Pradesh, the State will be at the forefront of economic development. [Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during his interaction with prominent citizens of Varanasi in Varanasi on March 5, 2022. Photo: Prime Minister’s Office via PTI] Mr. Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, also stressed the need for a stable government in the State which can take bold decisions, according to the participants. Nearly 200 participants interacted with the Prime Minister at the ‘ Prabudh Varg Sammelan‘ held at Raman Niwas in Varanasi. Padma Bhushan awardee and Hindustani classical singer Channulal Mishra and BHU Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Jain were among the attendees. Famous paan seller Ashwani Chaurasia, known as ‘Keshav paan wala’ and tea seller Pappu, at whose kiosk Mr. Modi enjoyed a cuppa on Friday, were also present. Will form Government in 4 States, improve performance in Punjab: Amit Shah   The BJP on Saturday exuded confidence over its chances in the five Assembly elections, with Home Minister [Amit Shah saying the party would form the government in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand]( and improve its performance in Punjab. BJP president J.P. Nadda and Mr. Shah addressed a press conference at the party headquarters on Saturday evening, at the close of campaigning for the last phase of the U.P. polls on March 7. The leaders cited the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the impact of welfare schemes as reasons for their assessment. In response to a question, Mr. Shah said there was a “positive impact” on the elections of the government’s efforts to bring back Indian students from Ukraine. Mr. Modi had made arrangements, an advisory was issued on February 15 and Russian-speaking teams were sent to the neighbouring countries. Indians numbering 16,000 had left Ukraine till Friday and 13,000 of them reached India. Another 16 flights would reach India within 24 hours, he noted. “There has been a positive impact in the elections and in the country. And when Modi ji met the students, they thanked him and expressed happiness and also gave him good wishes to win the elections,” he stated. China hikes military spending by 7.1%, announces 5.5% GDP target China on Saturday [announced a 7.1% hike in its defence spending]( as well as an annual GDP growth target of “around 5.5%” for the coming year. China’s Premier and second-ranked leader Li Keqiang announced the GDP target at the opening of the week-long session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) or Parliament, which approves policies for the coming year. A draft budget, which the NPC will approve, said defence spending would be hiked by 7.1% to 1.45 trillion Yuan or around $ 230 billion. The military budget was hiked by 6.8% last year when it crossed the $200 billion mark for the first time. India’s military spending this year was announced as around $70 billion, a 4.4% hike from the previous year, although a greater share of India’s defence spending goes towards imports and pensions. The Communist Party-run Global Times said the hike this year reflected “security threats China is facing.” Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments The [number of reported coronavirus cases from India]( stood at 4,29,57,608 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 5,14,931.  Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. Today‘s Top Picks [[From Kyiv to India: A tale of courage, strength & empathy] From Kyiv to India: A tale of courage, strength & empathy]( [[Watch | Indian Students from Sumy State University, Ukraine] Watch | Indian Students from Sumy State University, Ukraine]( [[Variants do not always evolve to become less virulent] Variants do not always evolve to become less virulent]( [[Puneeth’s last film likely to hit screens on March 17] Puneeth’s last film likely to hit screens on March 17]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](